Student Leadership and Outreach

An integral part of NEED’s curriculum is the Kids Teaching Kids approach. Students are most authentically assessed when they have to share their knowledge with others. Encouraging students to become leaders in the classroom and school also helps ensure that students are empowered to become good stewards for energy awareness in their communities.

ENERGY OUTREACH OVERVIEW

Step One – Focus!

Effective energy outreach projects allow the whole class to get involved. Set your goals as a group. Identify the group(s) you want to reach with your activities. Do you want to focus on just your school, or do you want to include families, other schools, community leaders, senior citizens, or the whole community? It is also important to select the focus for your activities. Do you want to increase energy awareness, institute a schoolwide program, do a community demonstration, correct individual problems, or change community policy? Maybe you’ve identified several focus points or goals. Make a folder or poster for each goal in your project, and assign committees of students to work on each.

Step Two – Plan it Out!

Student committees should meet to create a plan for each goal. Plans should identify the objectives, activities, estimated time, potential costs, materials needed, and who will be involved with helping to accomplish each goal. Ask students to think outside the box – who can they incorporate from the community? All groups should meet and discuss the plans as a whole class to create a master plan. Identify dates for each task to be completed. Mark dates on a calendar or timeline for the whole class.

Step Three – Work it Out!

Group members should sign up for tasks or select tasks to complete. Assist groups to make sure they have enough manpower to complete their projects. Committee members should work together, meet together, and accomplish their goal(s) to make sure the project is completed. Make sure each group is documenting their activities, taking pictures to share with their community and NEED!

Step Four – Take Pride!

Evaluate the progress of the projects at group meetings and as a class. Ask community members or school partners to evaluate your progress and share in your successes. Summarize your efforts for each goal and the overall master plan.

NOW WHAT?

NEED encourages classrooms who complete energy outreach projects to turn their projects into Youth Awards Projects. The Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement rewards students for their outreach efforts. Check out the descriptions below, learn more about the program and projects in our Youth Awards Program Guide, and visit NEED’s Youth Awards website: www.NEED.org/need-students/youth-awards.

YOUTH AWARDS PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement is a central component of NEED’s evaluation and recognition, recognizing student leadership, encouraging students to evaluate their knowledge of energy, and providing ideas and programs that may be exchanged with other schools in the NEED program. NEED encourages all schools to participate in Youth Awards by having their students document their energy activities and projects and submit them to NEED for judging.

Students should keep track of their goals, activities, outreach opportunities, and their evaluations of their activities. Students will then create a digital project summarizing their efforts to submit for judging. Students can submit two different types of projects, depending on their engagement in the activities and outreach completed. The deadline for project submissions is April 15, 2021.

RECOGNITION

In 2021, the 41st Annual NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards Program will give students opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The annual June conference will have students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge.

The Youth Energy Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., June 2528, 2021. The conference culminates with the Youth Awards Ceremony. Winning students whose projects fit the criterion for judging are eligible to attend the ceremony and network with students from across the country! Other projects will also be recognized at the local level for their outstanding efforts in the classroom and community.

YOUTH AWARDS PROGRAM GUIDE

For project descriptions and guidelines, application and submission procedures, and more information about the program and recognition ceremony, be sure to turn to NEED’s Youth Awards Program Guide. This guide serves as a handbook to outline the process of engaging your students in energy outreach, leadership, and fun. It also contains templates for student work, project suggestions and tips, and even the judging rubric! Also, check out www.NEED.org/youth-awards. The guide to the program can be downloaded here, as well as photos from past events, previous winning projects, and FAQs. We hope to see you in June!